Skip to main content

Fast and furious: Toyota teases Detroit-bound Furia concept

Toyota Furia concept teaser profileToyota has a reputation for building competent but boring cars. Even CEO Akio Toyoda is asking the company to inject more excitement into its lineup. So Toyota is trying to do just that with the Furia, a sedan concept that will be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January. As George Lucas will tell you, it’s all about the special effects.

Judging by the sparks flying in Toyota’s teaser photos and video, it looks like the photo shoot was done in a burning building. Other than that, we see a sedan with a carbon fiber rear spoiler on its trunk and a carbon fiber diffuser with trapezoidal exhaust.

Recommended Videos

Was this concept co-developed with Pep Boys? Unlike most pure concept cars, the Furia has normal-looking door handles, which means it could be a preview of a production model.

There is no concrete evidence about which model it is, though. In profile view, the Furia looks a bit like a Corolla, a car that’s in need of a redesign. Toyota’s compact was last redesigned in 2008, while its rivals are much fresher.

The Furia’s headlights are pushed out by a wide honeycomb grille, with what appears to be a chrome strip for an eyebrow. This resembles the 2013 Avalon’s front end, and it would make sense for Toyota to build a “family look” around its big sedan.

Toyota Furia concept teaser headlightsWhen the Avalon was unveiled at the New York Auto Show last April, it was meant to represent a sea change in Toyota’s styling. It was the first Toyota-badged model to follow CEO Toyoda’s “more exciting cars” mandate and, opinions aside, the Avalon is what designers thought was exciting. It seems logical that their version of excitement would trickle down to the compact Corolla.

So the Furia could be a future Corolla masquerading as a concept, but Toyota’s lips are, of course sealed. Maybe the company decided to build a rear-wheel drive sports sedan to compete with the 2014 Chevrolet SS. It could happen, right?

Whatever the Furia turns out to be, the world will get its first look at the Detroit Auto Show, which opens January 14, 2013.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Location data for 800,000 cars exposed online for months
VW logo.

A data leak led to around 800,000 Volkswagen (VW) electric vehicles (EVs) having their location exposed online for several months, according to a report by German news magazine Der Spiegel.

The global incident impacted owners of EVs from VW, Audi, Seat, and Skoda, with real-time location showing for the affected vehicles, whether they were at home, driving along the street, or, in the words of Der Spiegel, parked “in front of the brothel.”

Read more
Faraday Future could unveil lowest-priced EV yet at CES 2025
Faraday Future FF 91

Given existing tariffs and what’s in store from the Trump administration, you’d be forgiven for thinking the global race toward lower electric vehicle (EV) prices will not reach U.S. shores in 2025.

After all, Chinese manufacturers, who sell the least expensive EVs globally, have shelved plans to enter the U.S. market after 100% tariffs were imposed on China-made EVs in September.

Read more
Hyundai Ioniq 9 vs. Tesla Model Y: Does electric SUV beat the bestselling EV?
Hyundai Ioniq 9 driving

The long-awaited Hyundai Ioniq 9 is finally on the way, after months of waiting for what many hope will be a  true competitor to the Kia EV9. The electric SUV is likely to be one of the go-to options for those who want a larger EV at a lower price than the likes of the Rivian R1S. But, while it's larger than the Tesla Model Y, it's also likely to be a little more expensive.

The two vehicles are a bit different when it comes to things like performance, range, and charging. Is the Hyundai Ioniq 9 worth the extra cash, or should you go for the cheaper, yet smaller car? We put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The overall designs of the Hyundai Ioniq 9 and Tesla Model Y are pretty different, and that may be enough to sway your buying decision. The Ioniq 9 is a true SUV; it's big and boxy, and while it looks a little sleeker than some SUVs thanks to its curved roofline, it's clearly larger than the Tesla Model Y. At the front of the Ioniq 9 is a long light bar separated into pixel-like blocks that helps give the vehicle a unique design motif. At the rear of the Ioniq 9, you'll also find pixel lights curving around the sides and top of the trunk. The Ioniq 9 measures 199.2 inches long, 78 inches wide, and 70.5 inches high.

Read more